The real-life Cha Cha Cha Vintage serves as the first stop for our pretend documentary crew, where we meet the actual owners, Ruth (Ruth Syratt) and Megan (Megan Stevenson). Struggling to keep their shop afloat, the pair stumble upon a time machine disguised as a modified bumper car tossed in a dumpster. It’s the break they’ve been waiting for: unlimited access to authentic vintage finds for free (because it’s not stealing if you leave the time period fast enough).
Six years later, with business booming, Martin (Guy Henry), the tyrannical President of the Technology Engineering Scientific Thought and Innovation Society—T.E.S.T.I.S. (later renamed B.R.E.S.T.S. to be more inclusive)—questions Cha Cha Cha’s supply of “old but new” items. In his search of the shop, he uncovers inventions created by Ralph (Brian Bovell), a former presenter of a futuristic TV show that Ruth and Megan adore, who is now a has-been scientist. After a failed experiment on live TV, Ralph was instructed to destroy the time machine, but he simply disposed of it outside Cha Cha Cha. Ignoring Martin’s advice against using the time machine, Ruth and Megan soon face the consequences when a horrifying wormhole opens up in their backroom.
Reading and his co-writers, the Shakespeare Sisters, skillfully blend sci-fi absurdity with a surprisingly heartfelt, character-driven exploration of friendship and identity. At its core, Time Travel Is Dangerous is a story about working alongside your best friend, for better or for worse. The backdrop of time-traveling shenanigans and the otherworldly ‘Unreason’ creates a unique and hilarious exploration of these themes. The film harkens back to the (very English) humor of ‘The Office’ mixed with the rudimentary-but-well-designed production style of films like Beetlejuice. It draws inspiration from 80s films eager to showcase their own scientific advancements as a backdrop for deep character studies.
Ruth Syratt and Megan Stevenson, as their fictitious counterparts, are a lovable duo whose real-life friendship easily transfers to an authentic on-film relationship. Ruth and Megan’s friendship has endured through the ages, both in their own lifetime and as far back as the dinosaurs (via their time machine). Their newest adventure in time travel is merely the latest development in their relationship. As Ruth and Megan remind us, “What’s better than exploring time and space…?” “…With your best friend.”
With its endearing characters, lo-fi aesthetic, and boundless charm, Time Travel Is Dangerous is a hidden gem for fans of quirky British comedy and heartfelt sci-fi alike.
